Factors Influencing Psychopharmacological Effect

DOSE-TIME RELATIONSHIP

Similar time-action curves have been demonstrated for smoked Delta 9 THC and equivalent quantities of smoked marihuana (Hollister et al.,1968; Isbell et al., 1967 Renault et ai., 1971 Kiplinger et al., 1971). Symptoms began almost immediately after smoking (2-3 minutes). At lower doses, the peak effect is seen at 10 to 20 minutes and the duration of effect is 90 minutes to two hours. At higher doses, symptoms persist for three to four hours.

Therefore, as with most drugs, the larger the dose taken, the longer the action. The subjective symptoms experienced by the subject appear to parallel in time the subjective effects and some physiological indices such as pulse rate (Isbell et al., 1967; Hollister, 1968 - Renault and Schuster, 1971; Kiplinger et al., 1971; Galanter et al., 1972; Lemberger et al., 1971). Others such as reddening of the eyes have a delayed peak response and longer duration (Kiplinger et al., 1971).